Weird and Wonderful Festivals

Fancy getting involved with the local area and doing something different? Check out these weird and wonderful festivals held in the South West to experience something new.

The Green Man

Held in the small town of Pilton located in Barnstaple, the annual June festival gives people the chance to dress up and get involved. Whilst tasting food and drink at the market stalls you can listen to the local music and browse the stalls as you enjoy the activities, pageant and parade. Currently awaiting a date for Green Man 2018! Photo credit www.piltonfestival.co.uk

Cheese Rolling

This is literally as it sounds! Thousands of cheese hunters attend this unusual festival for the chance to win a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese by being first in the race of rolling a wheel of cheese down a steep hill. This 50% gradient hill is found in Brockworth, Gloucestershire and is an unofficial annual event usually held in May.

Onion Eating Competition

If you find the idea of eating a seven ounce onion as fast as you can mouth-watering, then I recommend this Newent, Gloucestershire festival for you. Around 15,000 people attend this annual onion fayre each September. The most recent winner managed to chomp down the onion in a ‘smart’ record time of 1 minute and 35 seconds.

Beat The Fox

This is a 5km run in the village of Fremington just outside of Barnstaple. This annually takes place on Boxing Day and consists of somebody dressed as a fox and the runners try to beat him. This event is to raise money for North Devon Hospice.

International Festival of Worm Charming

If you enjoy working in teams this unique festival could be for you! The International Festival of Worm Charming is held each year on the Sunday of the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. Blackawton, a small Devonshire village is visited by hundreds of worm charmers to attend this special annual event. When taking part, there must be 3 people in a team who are allocated the roles of; a Charmer, a Picker and a Counter. Within your team, you must choose a one metre square plot in the ‘secret field’, using all skills required to charm the worms to the surface without digging.